


Kindred Spirits

by akaKarma



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, Lovey-Dovey, Pregnancy, Romance, Slow Burn, Takemura Romance We All Deserve, Takemura is Clueless and Adorable, Tenderness, Vaginal Sex, slight canon changes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 09:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28349313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akaKarma/pseuds/akaKarma
Summary: Set of three stories from different parts of the game focusing on the growing affections between V and Takemura. Right before the parade in Japantown, V and Takemura deal with the stress of the upcoming risky mission in different ways. When V voices her plans to get piss-drunk the night beforehand, Takemura can't help but go with and watch over her. Later, after they part ways, some sexting unleashes their hidden desires and leads to an unexpected future...
Relationships: Goro Takemura & Female V, Goro Takemura & V, Goro Takemura/Female V, Goro Takemura/V
Comments: 26
Kudos: 195





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, no romance for Takemura, huh. Nah. Won't go. Here are a few short chapters about how I imagine the romance between V and Takemura would go. Fucking love that man. Must be protected. Chapter 1 has no smut, chapter 2 will have most of it and chapter 3 is extremely non-canon self-indulgent domestic bliss that you don't even have to read if you came just for the sexy times.

**Japantown, Night City**

**22 hours before the parade**

Startled by the buzzing of her phone, V reached into her pocket. Trying to not dirty it with the blood dripping from her hands, she focused on the blurry screen. 

Her mind was still in a haze and her heartbeat was the only thing she could hear in her ears. Perhaps Johnny was right–instead of doing all of these side jobs, she should focus on resting her slowly degrading body. But V always found it impossible to stand still, and even though she was beaten up and barely got out with her life (as she always did), it was yet another gig for Wakako done and dusted. The eddies were already being transferred into her account. 

> _The parade is in less than 24 hours. Make sure you are not late._

  
  


Rolling her eyes with a chuckle, she shook her head. Oh, Takemura. 

> _You thinkin’ I’ll forget or somethin’?_

  
  


Johnny kept moaning about him but V trusted Goro. He was too good. To guided by principles to be lying to her. This suicide mission planned for the parade was important to him and it was no trap, at least not as far as Takemura knew. V was sure of that. 

> _No, of course not. Only making sure you are still on board._

  
  


“Jeez, you’re smirkin’ like some teenage girl textin’ her crush.” 

“How about you fuck off, Johnny?” V frowned and aimed a sarcastic grin at the man sitting across from her, dragging in a puff from his cigarette. “Don’t know why you hate Goro so much. He’s sweet,” she smiled. 

“Yeah. Like a senile, confused grandpa you put in the home sweet. The one you never want to visit–sweet. Sure,” Silverhand noted playfully. “Just don’t trust Arasaka. He was Saburo’s bodyguard. Seems like you keep forgettin’ that little fact.” 

“Yeah. Had his reasons,” V leaned back with a sigh, still holding the phone in her hand. She remembered the moment they shared when collecting intel on the parade. Johnny might have not paid too much attention to it but she thought about what Goro told her that day. He was not loyal to Arasaka, he was loyal to a man who gave him a purpose, a better life. Something told V Johnny could never understand that. He was too rough, too guided by his instincts–explosive, destructive ones, most of the time. 

> _No need to worry, Goro. Might be a little hangover but I’ll be there. ;)_

After she replied, V stood up, stretching her sore muscles and wiping the blood off her face. Those 6th street bastards really took her by surprise. Weren’t supposed to be so many of them–a quick, simple job, Wakaka said. Right… 

“We can agree on that,” Johnny replied to her thoughts with a tired sigh. Wasn’t like his body just got put through the wringer, but V appreciated the sympathy. “One more reason to get drunk.”

In some things, the two really were alike.

Running her hands through her hair, V collected anything she could from the dead bodies and made her way towards her bike. She was just about to get on when her phone rang again, this time with a facetime notification. Confused, she accepted the call from Takemura and waited for the image to come in, resting her butt on the bike. 

“H-Hello?” she drew her brows together into a confused grimace. 

“V,” Goro’s serious face finally appeared in the corner of her vision. “Considering the stakes, I do not think it is wise for you to drink before the parade.” He sounded well-meaning, as always, and obnoxiously reasonable. 

“You called me to permit me from gettin’ drunk?” V burst out laughing. 

Bearing an all-knowing, ‘told you so’ expression, Johnny sat on the ground in front of V, taking off his glasses. “Still can’t see why I don’t like the guy?”

“I know I cannot permit you to do anything. You are your own woman.” Takemura seemed slightly taken back by the sharp response but kept his cool, polite face. “I simply… Considering your state and how crucial it will be for us to make sure everything goes according to the plan, I simply thought–”

“Listen, Goro,” V’s voice cracked slightly as she cleared her throat. “I get this is important to you, alright? And I fully intend to achieve what we’re tryin’ to achieve tomorrow but come on–Arasaka snipers, god knows how much other security… If anything changes or goes south, I’m toast. Get this is ‘bout avenging Saburo’s murder for you, but it’s my life for me. Considerin’ all that, I think I deserve the right to get shit faced, huh?” 

Staring at her in the little camera, Takemura stayed quiet, while Johnny let out a low, slow whistle, followed by a chuckle. 

“I… I understand,” he nodded finally and uncomfortably adjusted his shirt. 

“I respect that you don’t drink at work, I do. It’s just a bit of a tradition for me, gettin’ wasted before a big job. Believe it or not, it clears my head,” V smiled, hoping he would understand. It wasn’t anything personal. He was just from a different world. A different time too, maybe.

“I understand,” he said again, but V could see the worry in his face. She felt bad for him–must have been a lot for the poor guy the past few days. A lot was at stake.

Imagining him sitting at whatever dingy little motel he’s staying at, all stressed out and alone made V’s chest tighten. Glancing at Johnny, who already reacted to the idea that barely fired into her brain with an annoyed eye-roll, she looked up into the camera again, facing Takemura. 

“How ‘bout you tag along? Can watch me, make sure I don’t drink too much, and that I find my way home on time so that our suicide run can go on as planned. It's a win-win. Sounds good?” The devilish, playful grin on V’s face made Takemura pause. 

He thought about her offer briefly, and to his surprise, it did seem like a ‘win-win’. 

“Alright, I… I will hang back. Better to have someone watching your back.” 

“I’m not a talkative drunk, so you won’t have to worry ‘bout me spouting our plans to everyone I see,” V let out a melodic chuckle that almost instinctively let Takemura’s eyes towards her. “But yeah. You’re right. Better be safe, right?” she smirked. It was just adorable seeing him all unsure and completely useless in social situations. Takemura was only accustomed to very specific, bizarre manners and the way things were in his little Arasaka bubble. Here, on the streets of the Night City, amongst regular people, he was almost like an alien. V was surprised he even survived that long on his own.

“Very well then,” she straightened her back and rolled her shoulders back. “I’ll send you the address. Come or don't come–no pressure,” she winked and ended the call the second Takemura drew a breath in to reply. 

Satisfied with herself and with butterflies in her stomach, she smiled to herself. 

“Jesus fucking Christ. Are you tryin' to seduce him? We're tryin’ to save your soul here, V, not screw half the Arasaka,” Johnny replied in his typically bitchy, sarcastic manner.

“Thought you liked fucking with Arasaka,” V shot back, making him pause. 

With a chuckle, Johnny shook his head, resigning. “Fuck you.” 

“Probably gonna get sniped, or fall from one of those stupid platforms. If things go well, we might even get to Hanako before we get mowed down. So give me a break, Johnny. I deserve the distraction,” she said before aiming a middle finger at Johnny’s projection. Turning her back to him, she seated herself on the bike and as she turned the engine on, a smile found its way back on V’s face. 

**✽**

Anxious and not entirely sure how he felt about it all, Takemura shifted on his feet, standing at the back of a filled club where V told him to meet. He was early, as always, so he used the time to think and to scope out the room. Not that there was much to observe–it shifted every second, with more and more people filling it. 

Though he felt exposed and like he had no control over the situation, it was also like hiding in plain sight. Amongst so many, he was invisible. No one paid attention, no one cared. 

Goro knew it would have been better to stay in his room and meditate. To be in peace with his thoughts, to get a good night's sleep before the risky mission but… somehow, against his better judgement, he decided that he should watch over V instead. 

He wasn’t sure what it was… What he felt when he was around her. At first, he suspected it was just discomfort caused by the fact that she was a thief, a mercenary. One that managed to get into Yorinobu’s home, steal the relic and survive long enough to get out. Then, she saved his life, and he saved hers. By the time they began planning the entire parade mission, his feelings had shifted. Instead of uneasiness caused by standing next to someone who he didn’t trust, it became a different kind of restlessness. 

Her eyes always followed him. 

Watched him behind his back; her glances were subtle and fast but he noticed them. Perhaps it was his way of life making him feel that way–Goro was always the one person in the room who was supposed to be invisible. A shadow lingering around, while all eyes were turned to the one he protected. It was never him people paid attention to. 

That must have been why he felt so strange around the young merc… 

“You turned up.”

The woman’s voice cut through the chaotic mix of chatter, loud electronic music, and laughing. Blinking rapidly and focusing his eyes on her, Goro straightened his back and glanced over V as she stood there, smiling at him. 

“Y-Yes,” he nodded quickly, and as his eyes traveled back towards hers, he made sure to notice the unusual change of outfit. Usually, he would have seen her in her job attire–comfortable clothes that provided enough protection and movement for her line of work. This time, V wore something a bit more revealing, reminding him that behind all that running around, shooting, and hacking, there was a normal human being. A young, attractive woman, at that. “Y-You look well,” he blurted out like he suddenly lost all control of his own mouth. He regretted it the second those words came out and felt like a fool, but her playful smirk made him feel a little better. 

“Thank you. Don’t look too bad yourself,” she looked him up and down, both of them aware of the fact that Takemura wore the very same outfit he did any other day. “Took a shower for me, huh? Sweet,” she gave him a wide grin before turning around and heading for the bar. 

Takemura rubbed his forehead, sighing to himself while he followed.

Maybe it really _wasn’t_ such a great idea to meet her here… 

Moving around the people–too many of them for his liking–he finally managed to get back to V, already leaning against the bar and talking to the bartender. 

Not even thinking, his eyes followed the silhouette of her muscular yet womanly figure all the way down to her plumb buttocks displayed in a tight, latex miniskirt. It has been a while since Goro looked at a woman in that way. Didn’t really come to mind the past few years; wasn’t a priority anymore. V, though, she did make his eyes wander…

He barely managed to look up in time as she turned to him again. “You sure you’re not havin’ anything to drink, Goro?” 

“I am sure,” he nodded with a firm, decisive expression on his face, though at that moment, he would have welcomed some sake. The entire situation was making him extremely anxious. 

“Ugh. Don’t know what you’re missin’,” V turned back to the bar with a grin and went right for the shots waiting for her there. She downed two of them right after each other, making Takemura worry about how the rest of the night was going to go. It was only getting started, after all

Perhaps it _was_ a good idea to come, to make sure she didn’t go overboard.

In the following hours, V managed to get admirable amounts of alcohol through her system without completely blacking out. It was probably the dancing, he thought as he saw her leave their table situated at the back of the club to go enjoy herself on the dance floor, after getting another shot in. 

He watched her from there as she danced with anyone and everyone who would. Goro envied her, almost… Might have been a hasty, youthful decision to get drunk before such an important mission but she looked so free and happy on that dancefloor. 

Of course, the alcohol played a part, yet it was almost like V simply decided that no matter the obstacles life was throwing in front of her, she would enjoy this night. 

He saw her steps from death, lying amongst the trash in the landfill. He watched her barely pulling through in Vik’s chair yet… here she was. Full of life, like she had no care in the world, throwing her hair back and forth, moving her hips from side to side as she danced. Running her hands over her breasts and down to her butt, then lifting them back up as the song’s beat dropped. 

She noticed his glare. Thought something told him she has been noticing it the whole night and purposefully ignored it. 

Smiling at Goro while he embarrassingly averted his eyes, turning his attention to the half-empty glass of cola in front of him, she made her way back to the table, to the dislike of her dancing partners who seemed to have expected her to go on with them all night.

“My, my. You really seem to be havin’ fun,” V mumbled, voice overflowing with sarcasm, and just barely managed to grab the table for support. At that point of the night, she wasn’t very steady on her feet. Then again, Takemura was shocked she hasn't passed out yet.

“I am okay. Glad you are enjoying yourself, V,” Goro tried his hardest to not be as awkward and boring as he felt. He wondered why she even asked him to come. Surely, she would have rather been here with someone else. She must have known this was not his scene, yet… he said yes.

To his surprise, V scooted next to him on the couch instead of reaching for another shot and returning to the dance floor. She was nearly radiating heat as she got closer to him. Sweat from the non-stop dancing ran down her chest and between her breast, snuggly pressed together in the tight top she was wearing. 

“You like what you see?” she asked bluntly, staring right at him.

Blinking rapidly, Goro drew in a sharp breath before looking away. “I– Forgive me, I did not mean to–” He completely lost his trail of thoughts again. 

What was that woman doing to him?

“Do you not?” she drew her brows together with a frown and something about her drunken voice mixed with that expression made her look like a sad little puppy just then. “Not into women, maybe?” 

Completely unprepared for the sudden shift her attitude took, and the raw honesty of it, Goro became speechless for a moment. He might have been always ready to deflect any physical danger and trained to not fear any enemy but this was something a little out of his comfort zone. “I, um… That is not the issue, V,” he desperately tried to make his voice sound firm and confident again but her gaze was driving him crazy. 

“Is it somethin’ about not having fun when you’re workin’?” she kept pressing, a smirk growing on her face as one of her hands slowly found its way on Goro’s knee under the table. “Or… Can just tell me if you don’t find me attractive. I’ll survive.”

Wasn’t that, he thought. She was attractive, that was the problem. 

This just wasn’t part of his life. Like she said–they were only working together. Only helping each other to achieve their own goals. V only needed someone to get the implant out of her head, to save her life. Their partnership… it was nothing but a business transaction. 

Even if this ever was anything more than that, which it wasn’t, he couldn’t. Not like that.

“You are drunk, V,” he finally looked her into the eyes, softly touching her hand and guiding it away from him. Placing it into her lap, he gave a faint smile. “I’d prefer not taking advantage of anyone in such a state. Besides, it is late,” he glanced at the digital clock above the door. “We should leave soon. We both need a good night’s sleep before our mission tomorrow. Remember?” 

Something shifted in V’s eyes as she studied him. There was this playful fire behind his eyes somewhere as he said it. 

Usually, getting turned down by someone she was interested in would be a blow to V’s ego but this time, she felt different. “Is that it? Is it only because I’m drunk?” she stared into those eyes, feeling the growing pressure between them. 

“I–” Goro paused, considering simply ignoring the topic but at the last moment, he decided against it. “Perhaps…” 

“You’re right,” she blurted out suddenly, surprising him. “It’s late.” Grabbing his glass and gulping the rest of the cola, V stood up and clumsily got out of the booth. “Could you drive me home, please?” As she looked over her shoulder at him, she seemed content. Even though Goro was surprised by the sudden shift, he smiled and nodded. 

It was for the best. After tomorrow, who knew how things were going to turn out. It was better for both of them to not get distracted any further. 

“It would be my pleasure.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to change the events following the original quest a bit. Instead of V waking up 24 hours after the Search and Destroy and then having Hanako's proxy come, she wakes up and it takes a few days before Hanako sends her proxy (which isn't even really mentioned in this chapter) plus some other changes, obviously.

**Motel outside Night City**

**after “Search and Destroy”  
**

  
  


“Think we should stay here for a while,” Johnny said, watching V–who only just woke up– sat on the bed, holding her head in her hands. Johnny felt the strain her body was under. The buzzing in her head became stronger and stronger and the pain overwhelmed her momentarily as the relic wreaked havoc on her brain. “Rest for a bit.” 

“Haven’t I slept enough? Ugh. Still feel like shit,” she groaned but didn’t even try to get up. Not moving was helping at the moment. “Fuck.”

“Lookin’ at you, can’t do anythin’ else right now. How the tables have turned...” Johnny noted anxiously, peaking out of the window.

“Johnny, for cryin’ out–”

“Now we're the ones sittin' around, wain' for 'Saka assault squads to storm in. Anyone knocks, blast the fuckin' door. No warning,” he kept rambling, all on edge, making V even more nervous in return. 

“And if it's Goro?” she frowned, responding brashly. 

“Who’re you kiddin’? Been twelve hours since we split up. Complete radio silence,” Johnny shook his head. “Know you liked him and all but– Rest in peace, bastard.”

If she had listened to Johnny, Goro would have been dead for sure. If it was up to him, he would have left that burning building without even looking back. “Saw him yourself,” V said, shaking her head. No matter what Johnny thought, V knew better. “Even 'thout his implants, he was a good fighter. He'll pull through.” She had to believe that. She _wanted_ to believe that. No matter Johnny’s nihilism. 

“Right, right… Doesn't matter how good you are in Night City. On your own, you're fucked," he continued, glancing out of the window again. "But sure... Let’s hope your _friend_ miraculously survived,” he finally sighed when he noticed how tense and worried V was becoming. Though their minds were morphing into one, Johnny still found it difficult to empathize sometimes, to put himself into her shoes–ironic as it may be. Still, he knew how it felt to care for someone. She went back for him even against his pleas and all better judgment. “You’re beaten enough, so let’s not think about the worst,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “Go back to sleep, rest some more. If Arasaka hasn't barged in here yet, I’m sure we’re gonna be fine.” Knowing she needed it, Johnny decided to be the one to calm her, even though his first instinct was to be the voice of the gloom reason. 

“Yeah,” V murmured to herself, closing her eyes briefly before lying herself back on the bed. 

She was tired. Exhausted. 

All she hoped for was that Goro felt the same–that he was alive at least. 

**✽**

  
  


A buzzing of her phone made V open her eyes again. Slowly, she looked around the room. It wasn't spinning anymore. And her head felt like it wasn't going to explode.

Another crisis averted, she thought and grabbed the phone lying next to her.

> _I am alive and well._

"Oh, thank the fuck," V rolled back into the pillows with a deep sigh of relief. As she looked at the ceiling, Johnny appeared in her vision, leaning over to see.

“See? What I told you?” 

“You said that he was dead!” she barked at him. 

“But then I changed my mind! He’s just peachy. All’s good in the world,” he mumbled to himself sarcastically, taking out another imaginary cigarette as he moved away. V closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the fact that there was at least one bit of good news.

> _But had you not returned for me, I could not send you that message. Thank you._

The phone buzzed with another message, accompanied by a seemingly accidental selfie from Takemura that made V laugh. Even Johnny leaned in and chuckled while shaking his head. Goro was just too cute, she thought. Thinking about how he might have died in that building made V's stomach twist. He tried so hard to make things right–or at least what he thought was making things right. It was still unclear what Hanako was going to do, or if she wasn’t telling ‘Saka about the two of them right now, getting assault squads ready.

_Glad you’re in one piece, Goro._

There was this melancholy lingering on the bottom of V’s chest as she sent that message. She wondered if this was it–the end of their partnership. That was if Hanako decides to trust them. 

> _I hope you are, too. You did not look too good the last we saw each other. You must tend to your health, V._

“Aww, see? He cares too,” Johnny mocked V with such an obnoxious tone she had to sit up and throw one of the disgusting, flat pillows at him. Too bad it just flew through. 

“Shut up,” she rolled her eyes while writing a reply.

> _Better now. it comes and goes. Where are you?_
> 
> _Right now I am waiting in a secure location._

After a short pause when V was staring at her open message log without replying, she got another one. 

> _You saw for yourself... it is hard to read her thoughts, but I have the strange feeling that she is already devising some kind of a plan..._

> _I trust her. I advise you to do the same. Before we hear from her, we should both stay where we are. Just in case. Stay safe, V._

> _You too, Goro._

After she replied, V leaned against the wall and stared into the empty space ahead. This was what was left for her, huh? A dingy motel to sit in, alone, hiding from ‘Saka. Not what she would have envisioned for herself. V wondered what Jackie would have thought. What he would have said, what advice he would have given her. 

“Hey, listen,” Johnny appeared suddenly, taking the barely standing chair with a bunch of paint splashes and cigarette burns on it towards the bed, to sit in front of V. “I… Sorry for bein' an asshole, right?” 

Making her wonder if she fell asleep and was dreaming, V looked at Johnny like he was crazy, shocked by what he just said.

“Shit, are you okay? I know I probably took a hit or two to the head back there, but didn’t think it would’ve affected you,” she replied half-jokingly, half genuinely surprised. 

“Yeah yeah,” he smirked at her from behind his glasses, but then took them off as he rested his arms on the back of the chair. “I was just thinkin’... listenin’ to the thoughts we share…”

“Fuck me, Johnny Silverhand considering other people’s feelings?” 

“Shut up and let me finish,” he frowned at her, frustrated. “What I’m tryin’ to say is that… I know this ain’t easy for you. Bein’ alone, amongst all this fucking chaos. Feelin' like you’ve got no one to count on. No one that’s real, that is,” he smirked. “I know it sucks balls and– Well, if you feel like that Takemura guy’s the one you want close, I probably shouldn’t keep going on ‘bout him.” 

“Oh my god, are you actually apologizing?” 

“Yeah, maybe I fucking am,” Johnny stood up, moving the chair to the side. It was pretty clear this was not something that came naturally to him but clearly the man had changed since the moment they’ve met. Since that day when he nearly bashed her head in at her apartment. 

“T-Thanks, Johnny.” A soft, touched smile appeared on V’s face. 

“God fucking knows what’s gonna happen next. If that porcelain bitch’s gonna _help_ us–if you wanna call it that, anyway. If there’s somethin' you feel like you’ve gotta do… you should do it.” 

“Do I have your blessin’ to go after Goro?” V laughed in disbelief. 

Maybe she was already dead, lying in a coma or something. This didn’t even seem real anymore.

“All I’m saying is that I’ll give you some space, some alone time,” Johnny smirked at her from behind his glasses as he walked around the room. “However you spend it is your fuckin’ business. After all… the body’s still yours,” he stopped to give her one last brief glance, acknowledging that fact. V paused, realizing she really needed to hear that, and then nodded. 

Now that she was in the room alone, she looked on her phone again. 

It would have been nice to act on these impulses, these emotions she felt when she was around him but was there even a point? Goro remained how he always was–focused on his work, his purpose, his loyalty to the Arasaka family. She liked him but perhaps there was some truth to what Johnny said when he called him Saburo’s dog, back when they first started working together. 

Unsure what to do and desperate for some relief, V stood up and aimed towards the bathroom. She really needed a shower. There was blood, sweat, and concrete dust all over her, dried in her hair and soaked into her clothes. The bathroom was disgusting and outdated but it was going to have to do. As she stripped naked and stepped into the shower–hoping she wasn’t going to get any foot fungus from it–V let out a deep breath as the hot water rolled down her shoulders. _Fuck_. She really needed this. Her body seemed to have calmed down a little but she knew these episodes were not going to get any better. Not if she doesn’t get help for her relic problem fast… 

Trying not to go there with her thoughts, she fought back against the temptation to think about the dim, depressing options of her future. Instead, she closed her eyes and moved her head under the shower, washing all of the grime off her hair. The moment she heard her phone buzz, after several minutes of peace and quiet, her eyes sprung open and she reached for it, taking it into the shower with her. Thank god for the water-proof technology. 

> _I cannot stop asking myself the question of why you came back for me. You risked your life when you did not have to. Why?_

Shivers ran down V’s spine and then pooled on the bottom of her stomach. He was sitting there, thinking of her. That made her smile. Maybe things weren’t as grim as she thought. Seeing the message made her think of the night in the club. He only told her no because she was drunk, right? Or because they were working? They weren’t working now. No, they were just sitting in their own hidey holes, waiting for a miracle or their own execution.

> _You didn’t deserve to die there, that’s why. You’re a good guy. Not many like you in Night City. And I like you. But I think you already know that. ;)_

Biting her lip, V wondered if she was coming on too strong. Maybe he was just too polite to outright tell her he wasn’t interested. Maybe she was just desperately holding onto any feeling, any sensation strong enough to drown out the worries of her impending doom and loss of self that were haunting her… Oh god, he must have seen her just like a child, V thought with a desperate grimace. Constantly coming onto him, being irresponsible and unreasonable. He always seemed so in control of himself and everything around him. So at peace, calm, and collected. 

It took him a while to send a message back. 

> _I am fond of you too, V. I only wish we had met under other circumstances. In a different life, perhaps._

Damn. He said it. Suddenly, the hot water running down her body did not seem as hot when V’s temperature spiked. Her eyes lingered on the first part of the message, and Johnny’s words echoed in V’s head. She just wanted someone close. Someone to lean on. She didn’t want to be alone.

Could’ve died any moment now. Or worse, disappear, cease to be herself.

There was no time for what-ifs or maybes...

Thinking it was now or never, V straightened her arm with the phone in it out and aimed the camera on herself. Leaning against the shower wall, she took a picture of herself, with nearly everything out on display, with only her arm pressed against her stomach, on its way to her crotch, and water running down her shoulders and between her breasts. 

The thought of this possibly being Goro’s first-ever nude he had ever received made her smirk. V would’ve given an arm and a leg to see his reaction. 

> _Are you a fond of this?_

After pressing send, V stood in the shower holding her breath. Was it too brazened? Too out there for the traditional Japanese guy? Was she fucking up her chances of getting that goddamn chip out of her head with help of the Arasakas only because she was horny for this greying bodyguard?

Every second and minute that passed without a reply felt like an eternity. V was pretty sure that the hot water was starting to run out, too. Still, she remained in the same position, standing in the shower, determined to hear the buzz, to see the notification. There was something between them, she felt it. A spark. Some chemistry, at least.

> _I am not sure if this is wise, V.  
> _

The moment her eyes landed on the message, V felt the full force of the cold, freezing water washing over her. With a swift motion, she turned the shower off and stood there for a moment, listening to the water droplets falling onto the ground. 

> _Right. Sorry for bein' weird. Think I’m just going insane here. Anyway, just stay safe._

"Idiot," she growled to herself, grabbing a towel from a holder outside of the shower and storming out. It would have been easy for her to get any man she wanted usually but of course, Goro was different. That probably made him even more desirable in her eyes. There was this maturity and self-restraint one won't see often. It was naive of her to even think she could have him. Sending nudes to Saburo Arasaka's ex-bodyguard? What the hell was wrong with her? Probably some of Johnny's stupidity already seeping into her psyche.

She wrapped the towel around her waist and ran her hands through her wet hair. It was probably time to sleep some more. Though she wasn't tired anymore, escaping was all she could think about right now. Didn't even feel like distracting herself with one of the many gigs she had lined up. No, this time, she would just close her eyes and try to forget everything for a little longer.

She lied down on the bed, shivers passing over her cold body.

"I'm sorry, V..."

"Leave me alone, Johnny," she didn't even look at him and instead turned her face against the wall. She wanted to be alone. Felt like shit without him reminding her of everything else that was wrong.

The buzzing of yet another message sounded through the silent room. At first, V wanted to ignore it but quickly, her curiosity got the best of her. No way it was him. Right.

> _Send me your location._

Swallowing the lump in her throat, V stared at her screen. The message was short and clear. Did this mean what she thought it meant? Confused, she sat up and looked around the room. This wasn't exactly the place she wanted to meet Takemura but it was far enough from Night City to be safe and shitty enough for no one to want to come looking. V hesitated for a while longer until she finally typed her address out and sent it to Takemura. What was the most surprising, Johnny wasn't back with any smart feedback, so it looked like he actually decided to give her space?

Unsure what to think about any of it, V rubbed her face, quickly realizing she was sitting there half-naked and wet. Jumping up, she ran into the bathroom to try and make herself look human again.

**✽**

  
  


When the knock on the door sounded through the small motel room, V stood up and felt her heart skip a beat, as if she was entering life-or-death combat, not inviting a man into her room. 

Checking in the mirror if she looked at least a little presentable, she finally opened the door.

Takemura slid in without as much as a word, his eyes carefully scanning the room and the outside before he closed the door behind him. “I do not think anyone followed me,” he said, voice low and slightly tense. 

V nodded, stepping away from him. 

“G-Good. Good. I– Really didn’t have to come,” she mumbled anxiously. Why was she feeling so awkward all of the sudden? 

Takemura’s eyes focused on her, the white rim around them nearly shining in the dim lighting. “You seemed like you needed company,” he said, surprisingly timidly, and averted his eyes. It seemed that both of the warriors found themselves unusually coy and hesitant. They both stood there, with nothing but some distant gunshots coming from somewhere outside and a faint argument that could be heard from the room upstairs. 

V knew she was the one to make it weird. Did he see the photo she sent when he looked at her? Was that why his eyes kept wandering anywhere but close to her face? 

“Um… Wanna sit down?” she pointed to the small, disgusting-looking couch. “Ain’t much. Probably gonna get some disease from touchin’ anything here but–”

“Of course,” he replied firmly and made his way towards it before she could even finish. It was almost like his words were so stern and quick so she couldn’t hear how unsure his tone truly was. 

They sat across from each other, Takemura on the couch and V in the little armchair that was missing one arm and was barely a chair. 

“Glad you made it alright,” she said, licking her lips. 

Finally, he looked up at her. “Thanks to you,” he smiled faintly, his hands locked together rested over his knees as he sat. Though she wished for it just seconds ago, suddenly his gaze was becoming too heavy, too powerful to handle. Running her eyes towards her own hands, anxiously flickering in her lap, she smiled to herself.

“Woulda done the same for me,” she said, even though she wasn’t entirely sure about the truth of that statement. “Couldn’t have left you there, Goro.” 

His sharp chuckle brought her attention back to his face. There was this strange smirk planted on his lips.

“What?” she frowned, half playful, half worried. 

“Goro,” he echoed that word, with that thick Japanese accent that she adored. “You keep using my given name. Barely anyone ever calls me by it these days.” V studied his face and noticed the same longing, sad smile on it like she did that time he told her about his past, about Japan. He really was homesick–she could hear it from his voice, see it in his eyes. 

“Do you dislike it?” she asked without breaking eye contact, even though she knew the answer already.

“No,” he said, shaking his head and smiled a little bit more, as if he was saying thank you. 

V was sure she wasn’t anywhere near understanding his life or his culture–the way things worked in Japan and in Arasaka were almost incomprehensible for the Heywood kid that she was but the confort she sensed form Goro and his gaze as he sat across from her was all the understanding she needed. 

At that moment, a familiar thought entered her mind, drawing a cheeky grimace on her face.

“You know… Since I saved your life and all,” she said and leaned closer towards him, in turn making the bodyguard slightly anxious about where it was going, “I wonder if there’s somethin’ you could do for me.” 

Tense and increasingly anxious, Takemura darted his eyes over the woman. 

“W-What is it?” He tried to sound firm but failed. 

“Your hair,” V said, pressing her lips together in a satisfied smile. That answer took Takemura aback, making him lean into the couch. Not what he expected. “Always wondered how you’d look with it down.” Her eyes felt like hands, burning against his skin, undressing him. Her voice, rough but still feminine and charming, seeped underneath it, filling his insides and his mind with the ideas and images of her. With the memory of the risque picture that she sent him, the one that made his insides tighten and his cock twitch. 

Finally letting out any response in a form of a deep gulp, Takemura reached to the back of his head, feeling the tight, perfect bun at the crown of it. Without saying anything or looking at V, he undid it, letting his long, greying hair fall down onto his shoulders. 

Witnessing that moment in all its glory, V wished she could have captured it for some sensual braindance because that was exactly how it felt. 

“My my.” She managed to keep her cool much better than Takemura did. Leaning across the little scratched coffee table separating them, she reached for strands that rested on his chest and ran her fingers over them, making Goro tremble slightly. 

He was so gorgeous. 

Like this handsome, mature samurai, radiating respect and beauty. His hair was healthy and thick, and the way its shades changed between black and grey made it look like a surrealistic painting. 

“Should wear your hair like that all the time.” Narrowing her eyes slightly while playing with the strands, making Takemura blush, or at least he felt like he was. In fact, his cheeks were burning, in such a way he hasn't felt since he was a young boy. It was like a woman who had noticed him for the first time in forever, even though he already knew V was interested. Only now, she was right there… So very close. 

“That wouldn’t be very practical,” he responded in his typical, measured voice, though he knew that was not the answer she wanted. Smiling to herself, she pulled her hand away and sat back in the chair with a quiet sigh. “Forgive me, V,” he said quickly when he felt as if she was pulling away herself–as if something was escaping from him. Something he was never going to get back if he didn’t say something. With surprise, V’s deep eyes looked up at him, hungry and curious. “I… I have not had a woman show interest in me in a very long time,” he admitted frankly, with a bit of shame in his voice. 

“Find that kind of hard to believe,” she smirked, a dimple creating in her cheek. Before he could speak again, V continued. “What you said in the club. That you didn’t act on anythin’ only because I was drunk. Was that true?” Internally, she firmly decided that this was the last attempt she was going to give him. If he really wasn’t interested or wasn’t comfortable, she did not want to make him uncomfortable any longer.

As soon as the words escaped her lips, Goro’s eyes widened. Pressing his hands tighter against each other and eventually letting them go with a frustrated sigh, he turned his head to the side. 

“I feel foolish, V. Dancing around you when your invitation has been so clear, I– I cannot remember the last time my mind had even wandered anywhere else but my work.” 

The genuine uncertainty and nervousness in his voice made V draw her brows together. This was the price of working for a corp, she thought but did not voice that sentiment out loud. Wouldn’t help anything. Though she admired Goro’s dedication and loyalty, she felt sorry for the way Arasaka took a part of his soul–his life, even. Surviving in the Night City might have not always been easy, or fulfilling, and sometimes it did seem like the city was suffocating her–anytime she was not strong enough in this concrete jungle–but at least she was free. She was her own boss, she controlled her own destiny. 

V understood why Goro felt so indebted to the ‘Saka family. Saburo gave him a purpose, a better life, education. All those things he told her about beforehand. Yet… it made him almost unable to enjoy the simple yet marvelous pleasures of life. 

Like love... Closeness. Touch.

“It’s fine, Goro,” she said finally, after a few moments of tense silence between them. “I understand. Sorry for pressing ya…” 

“You did not pressure. You pushed yet…” Pausing, he found her eyes with his and locked into a glare. “You pushed me towards yourself. With every glance you gave and every action of kindness you showed me.” Something in his eyes was changing, shifting, growing. “I was prepared to die fighting in that hotel room, yet you came back for me.” 

“If this is only about bein’ grateful you don’t have to–”

“No,” he interrupted her, with an unusual amount of passion in his otherwise calm and soothing voice. “I have been hesitant only because of my own insecurities and fear.” As he spoke, they somehow drifted closer towards each other. Before she could even notice, Goro’s hand was rested on V’s thigh. “Perhaps... I should not let this fear hold me back any longer.”

The way his voice grew deeper and deeper made V’s insides flutter. Her eyes followed Takemura’s hand as it slowly rose towards her face. His palm cupped her cheek softly, skin warm and rough, and eventually his fingers followed the line of her cheekbone. As if he was drawing Japanese symbols on her skin with a brush–gentle and controlled–his thumb danced around the border of her plump lips. Unsure what to do with herself, V’s eyes moved to his other hand, firmly holding his knee as if he tried to hold back. When she looked to the side, she noticed what seemed to be another clear sign that perhaps she wasn’t wrong to keep pushing and trying–the shape of his manhood tenting his pants. 

The sight lit a fire inside V, fuelling the long-smoldering lust. While locking their eyes again, she slowly moved towards Goro, crawling over the coffee table. 

Though there was some hesitation behind his eyes–the lingering doubt and fear that he tried to let go–she also saw the hunger fighting its way out. Unwavering, he moved his thumb over her lips that she parted for him, and she took his finger in, surrounding it with the hot, wet surroundings of her mouth. 

“V.” Husky and tense, his voice drove her insane and nearly propelled her closer. 

Her tongue circled around his finger until she paused. “Goro,” she replied softly, purposefully saying his name in a tone provocative and seductive enough to make his cock ache and twitch, trapped underneath his pants. Running one hand through his freed hair, she used the other to grab his wrist and guided his hand towards the band of her shorts. He was still hesitant but followed as she let his fingers meet the heat and the moisture of her soaked panties. 

“I fear that– I fear that I might not be as–”

Pulling his finger away from her mouth, she leaned closer to be able to whisper against his ear. “Thought you said no more fear.” The desperate groan that came out of him made her even wetter–or maybe it was his fingers slowly sliding into her. 

V was basically sitting in his lap now, though neither of them really paid attention to what was happening or how. Somehow, the flaming lust as they touched each other was all that existed, taking priority over the chip, Arasaka or the possible impending doom they feared beforehand. “You want me?” She couldn’t take it anymore. Eyes rolling to the back of her head as she grinded against him in the perfect tempo with his hand stroking her, V wanted nothing more but for him to finally let go. To release what he was holding back, to let his cock out and fuck her on the bed like she wished he would’ve days ago. 

“Y-Yes,” Goro nearly growled; his free hand twisting around her neck. “V…” 

Discipline. One of the most important things they taught him at Arasaka. All these years, Goro trained himself to obey, to focus his mind on one task and one task only–being the best soldier he could be, the best bodyguard. It was the only way. Any emotions not related to that (and any emotions that were too strong to distract in general) had to be put aside. Dreams of family, love, someone’s closeness… they became unimportant, yet they still brewed somewhere deep within, stifled and suppressed. 

Up until now...

As he went in for a kiss, Takemura was hungry and raw. His lips devoured V’s as if she was the air he needed to breathe. Their tongues wrapped together, sharing hot saliva and panting moans. 

He grabbed her around her waist and stood up, adjusting his hands under V’s ass. Only a few steps away, he dropped her on the creaky, uncomfortable bed. It didn’t matter. Could’ve been dirty and gross but that was the last thing on his mind now. 

It sent shockwaves of a sensation that he could barely recognize when V’s hand rubbed against his cock that already ached to be freed. “Guess it ain’t the truth what they say about Asian guys,” she noted with an amused chuckle, only to get a dissatisfied groan in response. “What is it?” She kept teasing, enjoying how desperate he was getting, grinding his pelvis against her hand, expecting her to open his pants. 

“Please, V, I–” His lips rested on the side of her cheek as he kneeled above her. The sudden rush of emotions was nearly too overwhelming. Takemura began worrying–he was hardly going to bring her much satisfaction with the way things were going, and thanks to how long it has been since he had been with a woman. “I fear I might not last too long,” he looked her into the eyes, their faces only inches apart.

“I don’t care,” V murmured, going in for a rapacious kiss while she unzipped his pants with one swift movement. His member sprung out as soon as she pulled his underwear down. As she kissed him, Takemura could barely contain the guttural groans coming out of him as his hand wrapped around his cock. “Impressive,” she whispered between their kisses and bit his bottom lip hungrily before Goro had a chance to respond. 

“V…” His voice echoed in her ears and filled her mind to the brim. Only him, his touch, and the heat spreading through her body. 

“Please. Just do it, Goro,” she begged, locking her legs behind his ass to force him closer. Instead of going right in, his hand slowly moved towards his crotch–as if it was him teasing her now–and three of his fingers slid inside of her. “Fuck…” Her high-pitched cries were like music to his ears. 

Having her underneath him, giving herself freely to him, all of her, made Goro’s heart flutter and his head feel light, airy. He forgot how good it felt. How exhilarating it was to have someone express something so beautiful.

“V,” he said her name again, reminding her how many times he did before, with that accent, and how much she wished for him to whisper it in her ear as he did just now. “You are open wide for me,” he mumbled, voice so rough and low she felt it resonating through his chest. “So wet…” He swallowed hard, pressing his lips together. 

God, he was driving her insane. 

Finally, she felt him adjusting between her legs. The tip of his cock gliding over her clit. 

“Goro…” She squeezed him tighter around his back and dug her fingernails into his shoulder blades. While he kissed her neck, Goro used his free hand to extend one of V’s legs, lifting it into the air to be able to have better access. With one, slow pull, he slid into her, all the way until his entire length filled her. “Fuck. Fuck!” V groaned and moaned and tilted her head back. “Feels so good,” she panted with her mouth open and eyes shut tight. 

“You could not be more beautiful, V,” Goro’s voice was nowhere as collected and controlled as it has been before at that point. Turning into the same breathless mess as the merc was, he began thrusting against V in a fast yet controlled tempo. Shortly after, his hand found its way to V’s breast. Spilling between his fingers, he couldn’t help but to wrap his lips around her nipple. Expecting Takemura to be more of a vanilla, simple kind of man, V was taken back, squeezing his shoulders to the point that a low, painful groan came out of him. Not letting that stop him, his tongue ran around her nipple until he took it between his lips and bit down lightly. 

“Shit. Goro,” V cried out, beginning to feel like she was crumbling underneath him. “Harder.” With every word and every moan, Takemura’s hips swayed to the sides as his tempo became more and more erratic. This sensation of complete loss of control–of not having to think, to calculate, to constantly be on a lookout–was completely breathtaking. The climax crept onto him hard and fast. Before he even realized it, he buried himself deep inside V’s soft, tight cunt and pressed his face into her cleavage with a loud, guttural groan, while his cock twitched inside her.

Goro’s entire body trembled in the most wonderful, satisfying way as he slowly came down. His head felt light and eyelids turned heavy as V ran her fingers through his hair, holding him against her hot body. “I… I am sorry if–”

“Shut up,” she chuckled, pressing her legs together. “I mean, fuck. Y-You’ve got _nothin’_ to apologize for,” she assured him but instead of relaxing, Goro lifted himself up to see her face. 

“Let me make you feel right too, V.” Pulling out of her, he kneeled above V with a determined, focused gaze. “Were you close?” he asked and it was as if the unsure, timid Takemura from before was gone, replaced by this other man. 

Still feeling the heat pulsing through her body, V nodded rapidly, even more, turned on by his eagerness. 

Without hesitation, he moved back and wrapped his hands tightly around her hips. His thumbs pressing into her inner thighs, Takemura held their gaze until he positioned himself over her lower belly. Through their touch, he felt V’s body tremble and shake slightly, perhaps also because of the anticipation building inside of her. 

Finally, his tongue met her skin, making her jerk and drawing a sharp moan out. With a slight smile finding its way on Takemura’s lips, he moved down until the wetness of his tongue met the wetness of her lap. Skillful and controlled, he glided slowly around her clit until V impatiently groaned. He felt her legs tense up as she pressed them against the mattress, trying to move her pelvis closer towards his mouth. 

Deciding to end her suffering, Goro ran his tongue over V’s clit, sucking and kissing it. 

This was even better than she could’ve imagined. 

“Mhmmm,” she moaned, sucking in her lips and tightening her grip onto the handful of his hair as Goro worked his magic down her lap. “Fuck.” His tongue slid through the dripping wet of her cunt and then returned back to her clit that he stroked in a circular motion. “S-Shit, Goro.” The pressure kept building up, kept climbing until V’s cheeks were burning with the strength of inferno and her legs tensed up uncontrollably around Goro’s wide shoulders. 

Barely capable of processing anything for a while, V held her arm over her face as she tried to catch her breath. Meanwhile, Takemura situated himself next to her on the little bed, and let out a tired but satisfied sigh. His hand rested against her chest and as their bodies pressed against each other it made them both feel content. Safe.

What felt like an eternity later, V finally decided to open her eyes. Worried that it was all just a dream, she quickly found Takemura who was still next to her–sleeping or at least dozing off. Making her 'awww' inside her head, she carefully touched his hair with a soft pet and then turned her head to the side to look around the room. To her surprise, Johnny sat at the table next to the window. He didn't seem to pay attention to her but judging by his empty stare and how quickly was his chest raising, he was probably forced to experience what she just went through in the same intensity.

When he noticed her stare, Johnny blinked and looked away while clearing his throat.

"Goddamn, V..." His voice was trembling, which he tried to hide–not very successfully. "Maybe it ain't such a bad thing to keep him around after all."

She smirked, unsure if Johnny was really okay with it all or just tried to play it cool. Must have been weird, having to experience something that wasn't his choice, his doing, or his body.

"What a mindfuck," he sighed deeply and after glitching a few times, he was gone.

Turning her eyes towards the ceiling, V let out a deep breath, waking up Takemura.

"V?"

"I'm alright," she smiled, glancing down at him to give him a brief kiss on the forehead. The moment felt perfect. Felt like everything she ever wanted. So soft, warm, and tender. She wished to hear his voice every time she woke up but... reality was something very different. The cold realization made V shiver. It quickly dawned on her that until Johnny was outside of her head, there was no chance. This was only fantasy till then. Not to mention Takemura had no idea about what that chip in her head really did.

"What is it?" He noticed her pensive frown. The care in his voice tugged onto V's heart. She had to tell him... He had the right to know. She let him this close already and even though there was no certainty he was going to be there tomorrow, or that whatever they had was more than a one night's stand, V owed Takemura the truth.

"Goro, there's... There's something I wanna tell you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me longer than expected... -_- I'm not 100% happy with it (will probably see some changes) but it's what we're going to get, lol. I'm happy I at least managed to finish it before the end of the year, so here you go. I hope you enjoy! The next chapter won't have much smut, so you might as well finish here if you don't care about the relationship/fluffy/domestic shit I have planned next. :3 THANK YOU FOR THE KUDOS!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter contains spoilers for the Devil ending, though it does not follow canon at all. Expect nothing but domestic fluff and romance and cuteness here.

**V’s apartment**

**shortly before meeting Hanako at Embers**

“You can’t possibly consider accepting her offer, V!” 

“What choice do I have?!” Spreading her arms, she walked in circles around her living room while Johnny paced a few steps away. _Not this goddamn argument again_ , she thought. “Like Takemura said, this is our best chance! ‘Saka made the Relic, they can help me stay alive and Hanako’s the best shot at that right now!” 

He's been driving her insane. These past few days when she waited for Hanako to get back to her, V felt her body slowly becoming weaker and weaker. Her mind fuzzier, her head increasingly more as if someone has been hitting it with a hatchet. She could barely do more than two gigs a day now. Johnny arguing with her about her choices was the last thing V needed.

“They’re Arasaka! Do you really think they wanna help you?!” 

“I can talk to her at least!”

“The porcelain bitch’s not your friend, V.” 

“Ugh, shut up! Just…” Frustrated, V held her hands against her forehead and tried to stop the ringing in her ears. “This is still my body! I’ll go to the Embers and hear what she has to say! Thought you were on my side, wanted me to have control back, to–”

“We both know there are other ways,” Johnny blurted out, stepping towards V. There was desperation hidden behind the anger in his voice but it did not make her any happier about the discussion. “Listen to me, V. You can’t let ‘Saka put a leash on ya just because you’re scared. We don’t need her! Alt can help us.” 

“Oh right. Alt. Your _barely_ human girlfriend,” V chuckled bitterly, walking away from Johnny to lean against the window. Glancing at the bustling, neon-lit Night City outside, she could only let out a deep sigh and let her head fall between her shoulders. 

“Fuckin’ hell, V, just listen to me for one damn second.” Suddenly, Johnny was right next to her, grabbing her arms tightly. It reminded her of the first day he appeared in her apartment. When he beat her head against the window in that very spot that they stood at now. “I know you’ve been chattin’ and textin’ and screwin’ with Takemura but... He doesn’t know what he’s talkin’ about! He’s a dumb, obedient ’Saka dog, like it or not. Arasaka never does anythin’ out of the goodness of their hearts. _Never_ , V!” The determination in his voice startled V. After all, this was the same Johnny Silverhand who blew the Tower, the same lunatic he had been this entire time. “This ain’t about that, V! Fuck!” He let go of her, stepping away with an annoyed, frustrated groan. 

“What’s it about then?” she frowned, trying to hold her body from trembling. 

Everything felt so desperate, so dim and _so_ depressing. Like every single way leads to emptiness, to the excruciating idea of her self disappearing, or her body breaking down on her. Like there was no escape. No matter how hard she tried, no matter who she went to, nobody was going to be able to help.

“Savin’ your life, for fucks sake. Look at yourself! You barely go a few hours without an attack! Barely scramblin’ around the place, the Relic’s fucking you up. Me? Body listens to me. If you let me get in the driver’s seat, I can get us to Mikoshi. Can get Rogue to help–she owes me. Me, her, and Alt. We can do it, get me outta your head, all without gettin’ ass fucked by ‘Saka.”

“Jesus Christ, Johnny,” V rubbed her eyes, leaning against the window with her back. He was getting manic again, talking about taking down Arasaka, dreaming of him and Rogue playing terrorists like in the olden days. “This ain’t going to work. I–”

  
  


The ring of her doorbell followed by an urgent pounding on the door drew both of their attention. Quickly grabbing her gun from the living room table, V shared a worried look with Johnny who nodded. 

“Who is it?!” She didn’t expect anyone. Not at this hour. 

“It is me, V! Takemura. Please, open up.” 

_Takemura?_

“Oh, for fucks sake,” Johnny reacted right when he saw the way V reacted to hearing his name. “Like a fucking puppy bein’ called by its owner! Wake the fuck up, V!” he kept going on, even after V put her gun down and walked towards the door, trying to ignore him and the migraine his constant screaming was giving her. Almost like half of her cells were fighting against her, restraining her from moving towards it, she stopped in front of the door, holding her hand over it. “You might’ve shared some tender moments, looked into each other’s pretty eyes but fuckin’ realize that he’s a–”

“Shut up!” She screamed, out loud this time. Closing her eyes tightly and taking a deep breath, V prayed Johnny was going to be gone when she opened them again, otherwise, she wasn’t sure if she isn’t going to snap. 

“V?” she heard Goro’s worried voice on the other side and when she finally looked around the room, she was alone. _Thank god_. 

Finally, she opened the door. She saw Takemura standing there, his worried eyes studying her face for a moment before he made a quick step into her apartment and closed the door behind them. His shoulders lifting up and down quickly, V quickly forgot about her own stress and worried to focus on his.

“What’s going on?” she frowned. It was unusual to see him this scattered, upset. 

“I… There is something that I–” Pacing over the room without looking at her, Takemura twitched his hands and straightened his fingers, before shaking his head and drawing them back into a tight fist again, worrying V. 

“Hey,” she quickly stepped towards him to stop his erratic movements. Squeezing his shoulders tightly, V forced him to finally face her again. “What’s going on? I’ve never seen you like this.”

“I have been with Hanako. She took me under her wing before she sent the proxy with the proposition to you.” His hooded eyes and the bright white rings in them darted across V’s face with something genuinely disturbing deep within them. As he paused, V could sense Johnny appear in the corner of her vision, leaning against the wall with a similarly startled expression. 

“A-And? Wh–”

“I have seen… heard… something I should not have,” Goro murmured, his voice trembling and brows drawn together. Swallowing hardly, V stepped away from him and did not break eye contact, waiting for him to continue as she held her breath. _Surely, things could not get any worse_ … “Yorinobu plans to call a meeting of the Arasaka board. Representatives of all the factions are expected to attend. Hanako-sama knows this. She intends to… Intends to help you with the Relic in return for testifying about what you saw Yorinobu did to Saburo-san.”

“Is… Is that bad? I mean, takin’ Yorinobu down is what we want, right?” V felt her chest tightening so much she was barely able to breathe. In fact, at that moment, it would have been easier to throw up than to take another exhale. 

“That is not all,” Goro said, still playing with his hand and barely capable of standing still, which was driving V insane. If someone like him, someone so serene and stable was getting this worked up about it… “Hanako-sama, she… She has an engram of Saburo Arasaka. I– I was never supposed to know this, I was never supposed to know but I had a feeling and I followed her…” 

“Jesus fucking Christ.” Johnny’s defeated groan echoed in V’s ears as the high-pitched buzzing slowly began taking over the rest of her hearing.

Of course. Of course, Saburo had an engram of himself. It made perfect sense. 

“They need your help to overthrow Yorinobu. But not to kill him. No…” 

“Fuck! Do you not see where this is goin’?!” Johnny freaked out, faster ahead in his deduction than V, who felt as if the world had slowed down into a painfully disorienting tempo, or at least her brain did. “Saburo wants to–”

Zoning out Johnny’s maniacal shouting, she at least tried to listen to Goro. “T-They will say that he consented to have Saburo’s engram override his consciousness. This all to… to bring order back to the Arasaka family. To–”

“–to bring control back to Saburo! That evil, insane fuckin’ bastard!” 

  
  


“V.” Seeing her stare into nothing and trembling, Goro touched her cheek, trying to bring her back to reality. She seemed completely out of it. As if finally, the stress of everything that has been going on has landed on her shoulders and was about to break her. “V. I am sorry b–”

Suddenly, when she finally blinked and her eyes turned to him, Goro felt the betrayal reflecting in her defeated, melancholic gaze. “Why are you tellin’ me all this? Aren’t you happy? Your master’s comin’ back.”

“V...” taken back, he wanted to pull his arms away from her but instead, something in his chest told him to hold on tighter instead. “No. I… I know this is not right,” he frowned, steel determination resonating through his voice. It took her a moment to fully realize what he said, and to even think about believing it–perhaps thanks to Johnny, still ranting somewhere in the background, who at that moment felt as if every single person ever touched by Arasaka in any way was to be blown into bits. 

“What are you saying?” V chuckled in disbelief, shaking her head. “I know you’re not going to– Saburo gave you everything. You’re _not_ going to turn away from him for me,” she put an emphasis on the word as if it was the most ridiculous thing to suggest, “so what–”

“Listen to me,” Goro’s gaze burned into V’s, as if he was trying to look straight into her soul. Moving his hands from her shoulders to hold hers, he squeezed them, and a strange, tender emotion began overcoming his expression. “A few days ago… When we sat together on that roof,” his voice became softer as he spoke, making the thick Japanese accent even more pronounced.

Yes... The evening they spend above Misty’s shop. Surrounded by dozens of boxes of unfinished food as they tried to find one that Goro would have liked. He hated them all… They stayed there all night and V listened to him talk about Japan, about how much he missed the good parts of it–about the food and nature. 

“W-What you said. About how I should ‘ghost’,” he narrowed his eyes painfully. 

Yes, V remembered that too. Wasn’t the best ending to that date... Though she almost offended him, actually. 

Suggesting he should leave ‘Saka behind didn’t seem to go over too well with him. She only tried to help. Those past few days she spent together, she could see him opening up so much. He was smiling, laughing. An image so far removed from the first time she saw him, being Saburo’s weapon, cold and sharp. V meant well when she told him that no matter how things end up, even if Hanako was to help them put things into order, Goro used to be Saburo’s bodyguard–one who failed. It was never going to be the same again. He was not the same person, and could never be. 

Now, with what he said… Apparently, she was wrong.

  
  


“ _Forget Arasaka_ , you said. _Disappear. Feed cats, live life. Stay clear of Arasaka,_ ” he repeated her words but instead of ever being able to see where he was going, V became more and more hopeless with each word he said. Maybe all those beautiful moments that she spent with him were nothing more than delirium filled, wishful dreams of someone who was dying and knew it. The way she could see Takemura’s life away from cancer that Arasaka was… was as real as the possibility of her getting out of it all alive, herself.

“What the fuck are you doing, V?!” Johnny’s voice sounded in her ears. Distant, unclear. “You’re not fucking givin’ up now, hear me?” 

“ _‘I cannot do that, V_ ’, ’twas your response. And now, if Saburo’s comin’ back… I guess I was wrong, and you were right.” 

“Precisely the opposite,” he said, squeezing her hands tighter. As if the warmth of his touch, somehow so familiar even though they haven’t even been _close_ that long, V focused her eyes on him and blinked, frowning. She didn’t understand. “V, you… I cannot explain what I feel, I only know that I cannot go back to the way I was. I am someone else now. Seeing myself only as Saburo Arasaka’s bodyguard once again… I cannot,” he shook his head. “Not after what has happened. Not after meeting you. After you opened your heart to me.” Goro’s eyes were so soft and welcoming. For a moment, V worried it wasn’t even real because it didn’t feel so. 

“What are you saying?” V looked up into his eyes after zoning out again, and she didn’t even notice the tears that pushed their way out. 

“I might be truly going insane,” he chuckled sharply as if he himself couldn’t believe what he was saying, “but… I know this is not right. I know that… those… ‘fixers’. Aldecados. People who can help you–if they can get you to Mikoshi, I will not stand in your way. You should destroy it. You should– I will aid you in any way I can, V.” 

She stared at him blankly for several seconds, replaying his words in her head, though V was nowhere near as shocked as Johnny at that moment. 

“Fuck me…” He plopped into the couch next to them, smoking his cigarette. 

“V?” Goro asked with worry after she hadn’t responded for a while. “P-Please, tell me if you–”

“Valerie,” she mouthed, staring at him.

Confused, Goro blinked. “P-Pardon?” 

“My name…” It felt terrifying. This wave of emotions was crashing against her chest. A mix of scalding and cold, soft and sharp, they created chaos but in the center of it all, there was this sensation. The same sensation she felt when she opened her eyes on that landfill, with Takemura leaning over her. Peace. Without even giving him a chance to comprehend the gravity of that moment–what her telling him meant–V squeezed Goro’s hand before letting out a deep sigh and stepping away. “P-Panam,” she nodded to herself, tone shifting immediately into her ready-for-action, work one. “She… The Aldecados and Panam would help. They will,” she assured herself. “If you really meant what you said,” she glanced back at Goro, only to make sure that he didn’t just let his emotions get the better of him. 

“I meant it.” Though his eyes were as fearful and insecure as could be expected, Goro’s tone spoke loudly. He was not stepping down. He was staying on her side. 

Things might have been more messed up than ever and the stakes got even higher, but there was one thing fuelling her fire now–hope. “Good,” V told herself and finally let out a proper, deep breath–seemingly for the first time ever since Takemura entered her apartment.

“Fuck yeah! Let’s go,” Johnny jumped up and put his shades back on. “We’ve got a city to burn.”

**Somewhere in the Free State of Northern California**

**Late 2078**

“Um… hey, Panam,” V sighed, nervously rubbing the back of her head. Fuck–she was never good at these voicemail messages. In fact, she hated them. “Know you said that you might not have any signal where you’re goin’–hard to believe, that,” she chuckled, looking down on her feet as she sat on the bed. “Just really felt like getting back to ya today, though, so… yeah. Anyway. Goro and I are great. That Shepherd guy I told ya about? We managed to find him.”

Smiling to herself, V looked back into the cam. 

“As you might expect, he’s not able to fix all the damage but… as you can see, I’m still kicking,” she said with a smirk, lifting her arms up. “So… that’s preem.” _As Kerry would say…_ “I’ve been… doin’ pretty good, actually. It’s manageable–barely ever get sick these days. The pills he’s been givin’ me are really helpin’ and there’s some experimental cyberware comin’ out soon that he thinks might be a solution to my problem so… Fingers crossed, I guess,” she chuckled. 

Takemura was going to come home with food anytime, so V reminded herself that she had to get on with it. 

“Anyway… I hope everyone from Aldecados’s doin’ well. Heard from Mitch that you’re getting close to some newcomer, a Netrunner out of all people,” she grinned in disbelief. “I’m glad you’ve got someone, though. Feels… Good to be able to lean on someone,” V smiled, pausing for a moment when her attention was caught by the light reflecting off the red-tinted shades on the very high shelf above the TV. Johnny’s sunglasses. 

Her energy dampening a little bit, as did her smile, V continued. “It’s gonna be one year since… everything, soon,” she noted while she played with the rim of her jeans. “Have to try and meet you guys again, to celebrate Saul, what he did. I don’t mean to get all mushy but… And I know you know this but– Just wanted to remind you how grateful I am for everythin’ you’ve done for me. Without you, well… I don’t know where I would be… Probably wherever Saul and Johnny are. Hopefully.” _God, what a fucking car wreck_. This was why she hated voicemails. Not having the other side talking back to her always made her ramble and get all emotional. “Well, I should… I should get goin’. Goro’s gonna be here with lunch any moment. Been pretty busy the past few days, gettin’ gigs where I can. I… I’ll try callin’ again soon. Or you call me back. Stay safe Panam and… good luck.” 

  
  


V felt like a heavy boulder had been lifted off her chest when she got off the call. Jumping up on her feet to prevent herself from just sitting there and getting all sentimental, she made her way into the kitchen. It was a beautiful day outside–the sunlight poured into the little kitchen as she rummaged through the fridge in the attempt to find a snack to hold her over until Goro came back. 

As she was reaching in for some sad yogurt drink sitting all the way in the back–probably expired, too–she noticed Johnny’s tattoo on her wrist. 

Was too busy to focus on how strange it felt not having him around anymore most of the time but past few weeks, it was like everything reminded her of him. 

“Asshole,” she said to herself, looking at the heart with ‘Johnny’ over it, and couldn’t help but smile. The moment V felt the tears pushing their way out of her eyes, she growled in frustration and shook her head. Everything seemed to have made her emotional these days. With the snack in hand, she walked to the couch and remotely turned on the TV, hoping to catch some idiotic, brainless show. 

Before she sat down, though, the door opened.

“I am back, and I bring food!” Goro rejoiced as he stumbled into the apartment. 

Throwing the yogurt drink on the table, V didn’t even sit. “Finally!” She ran towards him and nearly made the poor man fall over when she locked him into a hug. Kissing his cheeks until he laughed awkwardly, she grabbed the takeaway bags from his hands and quickly brought them to the kitchen. 

“You are as ravenous as always,” he noted with a smirk and pushed his loose hair off his face. “I got you your favorite. I believe the cook made it correctly this time.” 

“ _Gorooo_ , tell me you didn’t threaten him,” V giggled, remembering how deadly serious he had gotten last time they visited the food stand, and the poor cook messed up her order. “Scratch that. I hope you did. That’s kind of hot,” she smirked playfully when he stopped behind her, putting the rest of the food next to hers on the counter, and then wrapped his hands around her waist. Pressing himself against V and resting his chin on her shoulder, Goro planted soft kisses on her neck. 

“You know that I take food very seriously,” he whispered. “Especially when it comes to you, V.” 

  
  
  


Unsure if she should drool over the food or Goro, V opened the container and planned to get one of the summer rolls to put it in his mouth but before she could, a wave of nausea hit her like a truck, rendering her unable to do anything for a moment. Blurting out a quick “Shit”, she pulled out of the hug and dashed towards the bathroom. 

Goro followed right away. When he stood above her, watching V throw up violently clenching the toilet, he felt the paralyzing sense of fear gripping his body. It was the one thing he dreaded more than anything else. 

When V finally stopped, long enough to draw in a deep breath, he spoke with his voice small and careful. “V, is it– Is it the chip?” God, he hated even talking about it, so much. The Relic and the engram of Johnny Silverhand might have been gone, but the aftermath of them wasn’t. They have spent the last few months looking for people to help, looking for anyone who could do anything if only to extend V’s life by a little bit. Recently, Goro finally found himself not constantly thinking about the horrible, terrifying future where V had lost the battle.

Everything seemed to be doing well. He hadn’t seen her sick or weak in what felt like months but… It was clear to him now how naive it was of him to think she was fine. That she was always going to be there for him just because of a period of happiness.

“I’m fine,” she said, waving her hand to calm him down. As soon as she felt it was safe to do so, V sat next to the toilet and wiped her mouth. “Shit. Ugh… I’m okay now,” she reassured him while Goro kneeled in front of her. She hated when he made that face–looked like a sad puppy. “Hey,” she whispered softly, reaching for Goro’s cheek. She moved some of his hair behind his ear to see his face. “I’m fine. The ripperdoc’s been messin’ with my ware. Think it was just the smell of the food, causing some kind of reaction.” 

“Mhmmm,” Goro hummed, leaning in for a tender kiss. Instead of moving away, he rested his forehead on V’s. 

Ever since they left the Night City and began traveling together, V found out how touchy and physical Goro really was. No matter his stern, respect-demanding face, he was the kindest, most affectionate man she ever met. He was the reason she pushed through many of the close calls she had when she thought that this time the effects of the implant on her body would certainly kill her. No matter the excruciating pain, V could never be too angry or annoyed. It was something she had to live with it because if it weren't for the Relic, she would have never ended up with Goro.

“You should go easy on the changes at the ripperdoc's, V. You must be gentler to your body.”

“It can handle more than you think,” she smirked and gave Goro a peck on the cheek. “Let me run a diagnostic. Probably nothin’ more than some error. Been gettin’ bunch of those.” With the text and data running in front of her eyes, V waited to see if there was anything serious going on. Shepherd has been messing with her a lot the past few months and most of the time it did result in her feeling better. 

As the text flashed and diagnostics completed, V didn’t see anything concerning. She already let out a sigh of relief and rubbed Goro’s hand, ready to get up and get back to what she was doing, when a message popped in her interface. 

“Wh–” She paused, staring ahead in shock. _Run again._

“What is it, V?” he got serious again, following her with his bright eyes. “Are you–”

The diagnostic ran again, confirming what it already showed her before. Unable to believe it, V shook her head and met Goro’s worried gaze. “Holy shit,” she mouthed, completely frozen for a moment. “It says… It says I’m pregnant.” Finally, she said those words out loud even though it didn’t really feel real. 

  
  


How could that even happen? 

Not that she and Goro didn’t do enough activities that could lead to her being pregnant, she just… didn’t think something like that was even possible, with how messed up her body was, with all the medication and modifications she’s been through. 

The lack of response from Goro was deafening. She studied his face, completely frozen in shock. He didn’t even breathe, just stared at her, with one of his brows slightly twitching as if he wanted to frown or react in any way, but his body wouldn’t let him. “I… It…” He couldn’t get words out or even put his thoughts in order.

V wasn’t surprised by his reaction–after all, this was not something they ever expected or talked about. It was so far removed from what they thought possible that it never came to mind, even remotely. 

“Goro,” V said softly, drawing her brows together as she reached in to touch him but instead of the expected reaction, Takemura made a swift step back and stood up. Barely able to look at her, darting his eyes over the room, he let out a labored breath. 

“I… I need a moment,” he muttered under his breath and disappeared out of the bathroom. 

Left alone, V watched the open door for a moment before resting her head against the wall behind her. Fuck. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, for a split second she fully expected Johnny to be there, ready to give her some snappy commentary on what was going on. It drew a melancholic smile over her face, realizing that was not going to happen. 

Sometimes, she really missed him. Felt alone without his nagging voice in her head.

How was she going to deal with all this? 

The diagnostic message still appeared in the corner of her vision. It has been only a few weeks. Made sense, considering how weird she had been feeling recently. Only V thought it was because of the medication, not anything else. The mood swings, the way everything made her unusually emotional, her cravings, and constant nausea… Fuck, it made perfect sense… 

When her stomach felt stable enough to do so, V stood and slowly walked towards the bedroom. As expected, she found Goro sitting on the bed, with his hands locked together. Resting his chin on top of them, he looked out of the window and took deep, slow breaths. 

  
  


“Forgive me for… for walking out on you like that,” Goro sighed and looked over his shoulders. V stood in the entrance, leaning on the doorframe. 

“It’s alright.” She smiled calmly, though there was so bitterness in her voice. “Don’t worry about it, Goro–”

“How is that even possible?” He couldn’t help but ask. 

V walked to him slowly and sat on the bed. “I don’t know,” she shook her head while saying it, and rubbed her eyes. “I mean, shit… I never once thought of myself as a parent,” V shook her head with a desperate chuckle. Then again, she also lived with an engram of another person in her head and came back from the dead, so maybe this wasn’t so far removed from the realm of possibility… 

“N-Neither did I,” Goro admitted, sharing a soft glance with her. As she sat next to him, he wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders and pushed her closer together. “

“Don’t even know if this… if this’ll really work,” V said, quickly winding possible ways to invalidate what was going on. Surely, it wasn’t serious. Maybe it was just a mistake. “I mean, with everything my body’s been through, it’s likely I might not even be able to–”

“And if you could?” he asked, surprisingly bluntly.

V moved away slightly and then nervously darted her eyes over the room for a few moments before she was ready to even think of that possibility. “I… I don’t know.” She never expected to live past twenty-five or even get out of the Night City alive–never planned this far ahead or imagined herself in such a situation. Now… she was free, and even though her future was uncertain and every day felt like a gift, she has never been happier. “I think… I’d want to keep it,” V said it as if she was asking herself–as if she still couldn’t believe it came out of her mouth. 

Lowering his eyes, Goro nodded. A faint smile appeared on his lips before he looked down, running his hand over her stomach. “If that is what you wish, V, it shall be what we do.” Suddenly, that serene calmness in his voice was back, as if after a momentary loss of control, he was back at seeing the world through his wise, modest lense. V glanced up at him, studying his face.

“A-Are you sure? I mean… This isn’t just my choice.” 

“I am sure.” Goro’s honeyed voice made V’s panicked heart slow down right away, putting her entire body at ease. Releasing a tired sigh, she leaned against Goro’s face, pressing her lips into his cheek. As she closed her eyes, V felt her worries fading away. She has been through worse. And she had survived long enough to keep fighting. After all, she wasn’t alone.

**Japan**

**2079**

Half awake but keeping her eyes closed to escape the bright sunlight coming into the room, V lied on the futon, surrounded by thick blankets and pillows–most of them supporting her aching lower back. Though she tried to enjoy her lay in a little bit longer, Goro’s quiet, soft humming kept drawing her attention. Opening her eyes slowly, she turned her head to the dreamy sight of Goro stretched out next to her torso. Gently resting a side of his head on her rounded stomach, he sang a simple, melodic tune–an old Japanese child’s lullaby.

V smiled widely and reached out her hand towards his hair, playing with it like she always did. 

“I am sorry, did I wake you?” Goro looked up with an apologetic face. 

“No. Been awake for ages, just… didn’t want the moment to end,” she replied calmly. “Those damn birds keep wakin’ me earlier and earlier every day,” V chuckled and turned her attention to the open sliding door that led to the outside. She was still getting used to it all.

“That is Japanese countryside for you,” Goro replied cheekily and moved himself up to lay next to V. After giving her a few pecks on the cheek and the neck, he situated himself behind her and started working his magic on her increasingly sore back that she had been complaining about. 

“ _God_. Yes,” she groaned, tilting her head back. 

“You are, as they would say back home, ‘about to pop’,” he spoke in that low, soothing tone he knew would relax V. “Do not worry. The birds chirping will seem like nothing once the baby is here, screaming in all hours of the day and night.”

Trying to relax with her eyes closed, V made a sarcastic grimace. “Wow. _Reeeally_ makin’ me feel at ease here, Goro.” Even though everything was hurting and no position was ever comfortable anymore, she didn’t really hate where she was. In fact, everything was perfect. The clear, almost untouched nature–something that was pretty hard to find these days–the birds, the quiet and calmness, with no big city in sight… Not to mention how good it was seeing Goro so incredibly happy. And she was too… 

Stopping the massage abruptly, Goro leaned for the small bottle on the floor, inches away from the pillow with a content cat curled up in it, as soon as he remembered. “You must take your pills, my love,” he said, handing them to her. 

V obediently accepted, swallowing the two of the large, pink tablets. Though they made her pretty sick at the beginning, her body was used to them now, as if it somehow knew that they were basically keeping her alive. 

“I shall make us some breakfast,” Goro announced, planting kisses all the way down V’s neck and eventually stood up, even over her disgruntled moans and pleas for him to stay and cuddle a little longer. “Fresh, nutritional food. Good for you and the baby, both.” As Goro stood up and stretched out in front of her, V couldn’t help but run her eyes all across the man, wondering how she even got so lucky. He promised he would take care of her, do anything to keep her happy, and he did. With a satisfied sigh, she leaned against the wall and watched Goro as he walked into the kitchen. Resting her hand on her stomach, she smiled. 

Valerie never thought she could have gone so far away from the city that felt _hers_ at some point–that seemed like all she ever had. Only now was she able to really appreciate the beauty of life. The pure, raw marvel of it. As the birds chirped in the distance and flew in front of the open door ahead of her, V couldn’t have been happier for this being the future home for little Johnny or Rogue. 

Night City and Arasaka be damned.

The fresh air in her lungs, the most handsome, caring man by her side, and the slow life of rural Japan was all she needed at that very moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out the end of this chapter turned into completely disgusting, teeth-rotting-level fluff. Oh well. I just fucking love Goro, man. He is a pure, gold, sexy, gorgeous, raspy-voiced (unromancable) legend. I'm far from the person who needs the heteronormative "marry and reproduce" ending to a story, quite the opposite usually, but this just fits for these two. T_T 
> 
> I recently played through the Devil ending with my male V and I have to say, I absolutely hated it. Not only it is the worst ending because of how damn soul-crushing and depressing it is, but Goro's portrayal in it also seemed completely out of the character to me. He was very loyal but also clearly shown to be very intelligent and somewhat internally divided. I find it hard to believe that he would go along with it all and keep being 'Saka dog... It was clearly stated that Saburo's death changed him and that he had this deep longing for a life of freedom, presumably in Japan and away from Arasaka bullshit. 
> 
> So that is what I gave him. T_T My baby deserves all the happiness in the world, and so does V. I hope someone enjoys this. I have not been very creative and I feel that when it comes to the prose, this fic is not my best work but I just had to get it out of there. Like I said, my heart burns with love for Goro and this is the story we deserved to be given! :(
> 
> Also, when it comes to Hanako, I'm not entirely sure if it was implied that she was onto the plan of putting Saburo into Yorinobu's head or not... but it was definitely the vibe I got? To me, she seemed like the best choice at the beginning, but after playing through the Devil ending, I can totally see a darker, more manipulative side of her. What do you think?


End file.
